You’ve always wanted to play the guitar, and now you feel it’s the right time.

We will try to answer your questions as clearly as possible.

At What Age Should You Start to Play Guitar?

We would all like to play like those legendary guitarists (Jimmy Hendrix, Clapton or David Gilmour, etc.) who can fill their music with emotion.But then is there a right time to start playing like them?

However, for younger people, it is difficult to learn the guitar before the age of 6 or 7 years because physically, children’s fingers are not muscular enough to perform the first exercises on the neck, not to mention their limited concentration. Depending on the age of the guitarist (child, teen or adult), there are different sizes of guitars available to make practicing easier.

Different kinds of support

Playing and learning guitar can be done through different media: courses on the Internet, music school classes, an association or individual lessons with an independent teacher.

In structured courses, you will follow a pre-established program and you will probably have courses of music theory to supplement your training.

Online, there are good and bad tutorials: compare the different videos; do not hesitate to contact the guitarist who presents them, or to consult various discussion forums.

Private lessons allow you to customize your learning: the teacher comes to your home and will adapt the content of their course according to the expectations of the student and their strengths and weaknesses.

When is it best to play guitar?

Learning the guitar means that your fingers will have to move in unfamiliar ways and you will have to learn how to do this smoothly, efficiently and quickly as needed. Rather than practicing an instrument, you are educating your body to acquire new skills.

The most obvious tip is to play the guitar in your free time (leisure, holidays, weekend, or evening). If you have difficulty finding time you may find it helpful for example to schedule practice during your munch break at work.

Scheduling guitar lessons also allows you to set targets.

You could take your guitar on holiday with you (snowboarding or skiing). Like all the great guitarists you admire, you will have to practice every movement, every technique with regularity and perseverance.

How long does it take to learn guitar?

If you asked legendary guitarists, they would tell you in unison: “a lifetime”.

The fact is that you will never manage to fully master your instrument if you only play it occasionally.

It takes effort to learn to play guitar!

Each style of music, each style of guitar, entails one or more precise techniques, a particular way to pluck the strings or to play a rhythm.

The important thing is not so much the goals you set, but how you achieve them, and how much you enjoy it.

It can take 6 months or several years to learn the guitar. The right time to play guitar is when you want to, when you feel the urge to do so.

After that it all depends on your familial, personal, and professional context: if you work, you will have to make the time to practice your favorite instrument.

Regularity and consistency matter

It is, however, recommended to set a rhythm for your practice so that your guitar lessons start to feel like a normal part of your day.

There is no precise good time to play the guitar.

Whatever happens, plan to set aside at least 20 to 30 minutes a day for your guitar practice.

Whether you play in the morning before going to the office or school, whether it is during your lunch break or at night to de-stress after a busy day, there are no bad times.

The first rule of playing guitar: fun

If playing your guitar every day is a chore to you then you will not be able to stomach 15 minutes of practice per day.

On the other hand, if you take a real pleasure in having your guitar in your hands, you will be surprised to find 2 or 3 hours just fly by without noticing it.

Whatever happens, always keep in mind that fun must take precedence in your guitar practice; this is what will help you make progress successfully.

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Jon

As an Englishman in Paris, I enjoy growing my knowledge of other languages and cultures. I'm interested in History, Economics, and Sociology and believe in the importance of continuous learning.